Sports Facilities – The Sport Journal

Environmental Sustainability Practices in Minor League Sports [EARTH DAY PUBLICATION]

Vandy Pacetti-Donelson — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Authors: Mark Mitchell1, Melissa Clark1, and Sara Nimmo2 1Wall College of Business, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, South Carolina, USA 2University of North Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA Corresponding Author: Professor of MarketingAssociate Dean, Wall College of BusinessNCAA Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR)Coastal Carolina UniversityP. O. Box 261954Conway, SC 29528mmitchel@coastal.edu(843) 349-2392 Mark Mitchell, DBA is Professor of [...]

Security Models in Mega Sport Events between Safety and Human Rights (Case of Vancouver 2010)

U.S. Sports Academy — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 15:55:53 +0000

ABSTRACT This study examines the conflict between liberty and security in sporting mega-events by ensuring that prohibited items do not enter an Olympic Games venue while guaranteeing service excellence. A random sample of spectators and journalists (N= 1081) from Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics responded to a survey about customer service and security in the event. Chi-square tests for two independent samples were used along with Crosstabs procedures to test the differences in service and security between journalists and spectators. The results revealed that a successful security model in mega-sport events is based on two pillars: service excellence that depends on the time spent at the portal, the communication with customers, the kind of staff serving in the venue, and mainly on the cooperation between all security corps in charge.

College Choice Factors for Division I Athletes at an Urban University

U.S. Sports Academy — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:18:26 +0000

Mark Vermillion, Wichita State University, and Gerrett Spears, Drake University ABSTRACTPurpose: Recently there has been much research attention focused on the college and university choice factors of potential student-athletes. Kankey and Quarterman (2007) developed a questionnaire, which was tested on Division I softball players, and advocated for more research utilizing different athlete populations to further analyze college and university choice factors among student athletes. As a result, the purpose of this research is to apply Kankey and Quarterman’s (2007) questionnaire to one athletic department with student athlete respondents from all sports funded by a Division I athletic department in order to ascertain: What factors are important to these Division I athletes when choosing to attend their present school? Methods: Division I student athletes were surveyed regarding the importance of certain factors influencing their decisions to attend this particular urban-serving institution. Online surveys were solicited through sport programs for volunteers. Student athletes took the online survey, which was used to develop an electronic database for analysis. Surveys with missing or skipped information were discarded leaving a sample of 101 respondents (n=101). Results: Statistical analyses indicate the most important choice factor to be the coaching staff. Other important—and highly rated factors—include personal relationships, financially based reasons, and academics/ career development. The least important factors included media related issues, technology outlets, and past coaches. Conclusion: Hossler and Gallagher’s (1987) student choice model is integrated with Symbolic Interactionism in order to understand results. It appears that a variety of factors are important to student athletes, which illustrates the multifaceted identities of student athletes. Applications in Sport: Collegiate sport practitioners and/or coaches working with constrained student development programming and/or recruiting budgets are better able to streamline these processes with a better understanding of student athlete choice factors. Knowing which factors to emphasize during the choice stage of choosing a college/university will better assist urban-serving universities during program development or recruiting.

Intercollegiate Athletics vs. Academics: The Student-Athlete or the Athlete-Student

U.S. Sports Academy — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:28:23 +0000

Christopher Saffici, Ed. D, Robert Pellegrino, DBA ABSTRACT Athletic programs at many colleges and universities are inconsistent with the school’s mission statements. The term “student-athlete” basically means that they are students first, and then athletes. We have reached a point here it can be argued that they are instead more athlete-students. Regardless of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules and regulations that stipulate that they are not allowed to, some student-athletes still receive preferential treatment and extra benefits while in college. Some recruited athletes are not prepared for the cascade of academic college work along with the additional demands that NCAA athletics require. The athletic pressures that accompany NCAA athletic scholarship can leave the unprepared student athlete with little time for academics. With collegiate athletics becoming a big business the rules associated with how we treat the student athlete must change. It is not unreasonable to suggest that is the business of college athletics changes then the way we treat the student athlete must change as well. Something needs to change in the way the

Analysis of the Reasoning Behind the Firings of Mike Leach and Jim Leavitt

U.S. Sports Academy — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 08:41:04 +0000

Aaron J. Moore, Ph.D. ABSTRACT This paper is a thematic analysis of press coverage surrounding the firings of coaches Mike Leach and Jim Leavitt from the 2010. In an effort to understand the rationale behind their dismissals, this quantitative research uses attribution theory as the basis of the analysis. While the schools stated the firings were due to the way these two coaches questionably handled a player, the press coverage displayed other reasons. This paper contextualizes the rationale behind their firings in an effort to explain the current high stakes of major college football.

The Impact of Service Quality and Satisfaction on Customers’ Future Intentions, in the Sport Spectators’ Context

U.S. Sports Academy — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:50:52 +0000

Yanni Thamnopoulos, George Tzetzis and Sakis Laios Abstract This study was aimed to determine the degree to which service quality perceptions and customer satisfaction predict the intentions of repurchase and word-of-mouth communication. Nine hundred and twenty five (N=925) spectators of Greek professional football, participated in the study and completed the SPORTSERV questionnaire, to measure the perceptions of service quality, satisfaction, repurchase intention and word-of-mouth. An alpha reliability analysis of the service quality was conducted, to test the internal consistency of the five dimensions (responsiveness, access, security, reliability and tangibles) as a result they were all in acceptable ranges. Satisfaction was measured by five items. Repurchase intention was measured by two items and word-of-mouth was measured by three items. In order to discover possible relations among service quality, satisfaction and future intentions multiple regression analysis were conducted. The results revealed that service quality and satisfaction predict together a significant proportion of spectators’ repurchase intention (the total percentage of prediction was 51%, R2=.511, p< 0.001) and word-of-mouth communication (the total percentage of prediction was 53.8% R2=.538, p< 0.001). This study supports previous research findings with a focus on the sport spectators’ realm, regarding the general impact of service quality and satisfaction on fans future intentions, however there have been some differences in terms of how the service quality dimensions affect these factors. Moreover, sport managers should use this information as a means to understand the future behavior of sport spectators in order to design marketing strategies so as to retain their customers and attract new ones.

Point/Counterpoint: Paying College Athletes

U.S. Sports Academy — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 09:48:02 +0000

Dennis A. Johnson, Ed.D., John Acquaviva, Ph.D. Abstract The notion of paying college football players has been an ongoing debate since the early 1900’s. With current television revenue resulting from NCAA football bowl games and March Madness in basketball, there is now a clamoring for compensating both football and basketball players beyond that of an athletic scholarship. This article takes a point/counterpoint approach to the topic of paying athletes and may have potential implications/consequences for college administrators, athletes, and coaches. Dr. John Acquaviva defends the current system in which colleges provide an athletic scholarship that provides a “free college education” in return for playing on the university team. Dr. Dennis Johnson follows with a counterpoint making the case that athletes in these sports should receive compensation beyond that of a college scholarship and forwards five proposals to pay the athletes.

Risk Management Plans: Existence and Enforcement at NIAAA Member High School Athletic Departments

U.S. Sports Academy — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 18:22:50 +0000

Mauro Palmero, Andrew Dotterweich and Gary Lhotsky - East Tennessee State University; Joseph Walker - University of North Texas Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the current scenario of interscholastic athletics in terms of the existence and enforcement of risk management plans within high school athletic departments. Another purpose was to identify the common practices related to risk management currently utilized. The present study had a response rate of 16.7%. The results showed that 76.2 % of the respondents (N=816) conduct interscholastic activities with the support of risk management plans, but there are still 23.8% of those interscholastic athletic departments where risk management plans are nonexistent. In addition, from those who indicated having a risk management plan, 28% do not enforce it. A majority of respondents seem to be employing risk management best practices consistently, but there is an indication of a less than desired level of adoption of some practices (i.e., informed consent forms, pre-season sport specific meetings, ADA compliance, coach evaluation and written criteria, safety training, accessibility of AED’s, and warning signs). The results of our study showed a statistically significant relationship between the athletic directors’ years of experience and the adoption of certain risk management practices (i.e. coach evaluation, evaluation criteria, risk management enforcement, and hazard abatement), but (surprisingly) not to the adoption of other similarly important practices. This study provides high school athletic administrators and principals with relevant information that can be used to support their decision to adopt and enforce risk management plans for interscholastic athletic activities.

A Study of Golfers in Tennessee

U.S. Sports Academy — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 10:55:59 +0000

Kelly Price ### Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate preferred shopping behaviors of golfers in the state of Tennessee. While much research has been done on retail shopping behavior in general, little exists regarding shopping behavior in sport retail, and more specifically golf retail. While golfer behavior has been researched in other areas such as tourism, it has not been fully researched in the sport or retail literature. Since this segment of consumer spends millions of dollars per year, this study was conducted to fill the gap in the literature regarding this unique consumer. An online survey was distributed among a state-wide professional golf organization regarding preferred shopping and golf course attributes. Results showed a significant relationship between some variables, including brands/designers offered. This research will be helpful to golf retailers, golf merchandisers, golf marketers and managers, who sell, buy or deal with golf apparel and/or related merchandise to better tailor marketing and promotional activities and ultimately increase revenue. This paper is unique and applicable in the fact that golf has not been fully researched in the marketing or retail area. **Key words:** golf, marketing, consumer behavior, retail ### Introduction

Acute Effects of Combined Elastic and Free-weight Tension on Power in the Bench Press Lift

U.S. Sports Academy — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:59:27 +0000

Sarah Prejean, Lawrence W. Judge, PhD, CSCS, Tiffany J. Patrick, David Bellar, PhD, CSCS ### Abstract The present study investigated the acute effects on power following the bench press exercise with a combination of elastic band and free-weights vs. free weight only. Eight college-aged males and females participated in this study. All 8 subjects were college track and field athletes that participated in throwing events. The participants performed two bench press training sessions that consisted of three sets of five repetitions. One session used a combination of elastic band (15% of total resistance) and free-weight exercise (85% of total resistance), while the other session consisted only of a free-weight exercise (100%). Power was measured twice at 50% of their one repetition maximum (1 RM) at the conclusion of each lifting session. Analysis via repeated measures Ancova (Treatment by Time covaried for gender) revealed a significant effect for Time (F= 5.951, p=0.05) and a significant two way interaction for Treatment*Time (F=54.093, p<0.001). The present investigation demonstrated an initial power measurement that was greater for the combined group rather than the free-weight only group. This information is potentially beneficial for many different groups of trainee’s. **Key Words:** Elastic tension, Strength Training, Acute Training Effect